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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (97662)	1/30/2005 10:21:37 AM
From: greenspirit	Respond to of 793757

Mike, thanks for your future prediction warning. I think I speak for more than a few people when I say, "we'll keep an eye on it", it will be interesting to see whether this historical precedent happens again. On a related note; check out the ignorance of this reporter working for the Marine Times on the issue of education benefits. I'll bold the line which is particularly glaring. Phrasing the Montgomery GI bill in this way is disingenuous. The bill doesn't "pay" for college. It allows you to receive a stipend if you find a way to pay for tuition, books and room and board yourself. Here is the way that sentence should be phrased. The Montgomery GI Bill usually pays a supplemental income for up to 36 months, to armed forces personnel who are attending college at their own expense, if you payed to enter the program during your first year of enlistment. marinetimes.com Reserve, Guard gain richer GI Bill benefit Congress ups education payouts as thanks for post-9/11 sacrifices By Diane Tsimekles Decision Times When the 2005 Defense Authorization Bill was signed into law on Oct. 28, activated reservists and National Guardsmen became eligible for an increased Montgomery GI Bill to recognize their contribution to national defense since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The law boosts an activated reservist’s monthly education benefit by one of three percentage rates, based on how long he has been activated for an emergency or contingency. Those increases are 40 percent for a reservist activated for 90 or more continuous days, 60 percent for someone activated for one year or more, and 80 percent for someone activated for 24 consecutive months or longer. That translates into $401, $602 and $803 a month, respectively, based on the current monthly Selected Reserve payment of $288. “This serves a segment of the population that has been underserved, [a segment] that has not been fully served since we got into a total force concept of combining active and reserves,” said Dennis Douglass, deputy director, Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service. “There are literally thousands who fit into this category.” Prior to this change, reservists had to be activated for 24 consecutive months before being offered an increase in their education benefits. They were then allowed to join the active-duty GI Bill but had to pay the $1,200 enrollment fee that active-duty enrollees pay. That plan “was really intended to address full-time, active-duty status for two years or more,” Douglass said. The new legislation addresses reservists, who are “certainly doing more than weekend duty and two weeks [a year], but not quite what the three-year service member is doing,” he said. The Montgomery GI Bill usually pays reservists for 36 months of school. However, individuals using a combination of VA educational programs may receive up to 48 months, Douglass said. So a person who used 30 months of his Chapter 1606 benefit — the plan for reservists who haven’t been activated — before being called up would still have 18 months to use his benefit under Chapter 1607, the new plan for activated reservists. A reservist remains eligible for the GI Bill as long as he remains in service, Douglass said. If a person becomes disabled, then his eligibility will end 10 years after his discharge. Douglass said the VA is working with the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security to determine how to identify who is eligible for Chapter 1607 and how to implement it. According to the VA Web site, that process may take up to six months. In the meantime, reservists who believe they are eligible may apply to their regional VA office for the Chapter 1607 benefit while the implementation plan is being developed and their applications will be processed when implementation begins, according to the Web site.

To: unclewest who wrote (97662)	1/30/2005 12:46:02 PM
From: Ilaine	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793757

Our military considers terrorism a tactic of war. It's sometimes that, and sometimes not. There are terroristic acts which have nothing to do with "war." The Oklahoma City bombing. Ted Kaczynski. Aum Shinrikyo. The Anthrax Mailer. The Baader-Meinhof gang. The "Symbionese Liberation Army." The Weather Underground. They may imagine that they are waging "war" but what they're really doing is trying to scare the shit out of people. Human beings are, in large part, herd animals, but with an imagination, and a memory. You can scare human beings very easily. Killing one human being in a spectacular fashion will frighten millions because they imagine that they, too, are potential targets. If the terrorists succeed in causing polarization, which in turn leads to violent confrontation between the polarized groups, their tactics are a success. Mao said it best -- a revolution needs the support of the people like a fish needs water. Without the support of the people, terrorists are just assholes (that last bit Mao didn't say, at least as far as I know.)